1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Don't know every day waiting clicks up the breakfast club 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: finish for y'all done. 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 2: Yep, it's the world most dangerous. Wanting to show to 4 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 2: breakfast club charlamagea god jess hilarious and we had to 5 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 2: step out. But we got a special guest in the building. 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 2: He is the mayor of Gary, Indiana. Mister Mayor Eddie Melton. 7 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: How you doing, brothers. 8 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 3: I'm blessed. I'm blessed. Thanks for having me, Thanks for 9 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 3: having me today. 10 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 2: Man, I gotta get right to it. Is the Trump 11 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: administration targeting cities with black mans, man? 12 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 4: I mean, I think it's clear based off the reports 13 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 4: that we're seeing. You see what's happened in Chicago, Baltimore, 14 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 4: and the threasts in DC. As a black mayor in 15 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 4: a Republican state, you know, it's definitely a concern to 16 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 4: see something like that happen. When I look at the facts, 17 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 4: you know that the military has no arresting powers and 18 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 4: it's a waste of resources to put military on the 19 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 4: ground and it's dangerous. So I agree with what's taking 20 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 4: place from the pushback, but I think the conversation has 21 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 4: to shift what type of resources we need to invest housing, 22 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 4: mental health, you know, just to help reduce overall crimes, 23 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 4: like in job training programs, the entire gambit. Cities like 24 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 4: Baltimore and Chicago, Birmingham, reduction of crime is happening. We 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 4: had a fifty five percent reduction of homicide this year, 26 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 4: something that we're extremely proud of. So shout out to 27 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 4: the Gary Police Department Chief Derrek Cannon for his leadership. 28 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 4: So yeah, I'm against it, but we have to have 29 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 4: the conversation about what do we do as a United 30 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 4: States to invest in our people, not just in policing. 31 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: Can ask you question what matters more right? Data are feelings? 32 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 2: And what I mean by that is, you know, we 33 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 2: hear these numbers about the crime statistics going down, but 34 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: there's people who live in those cities will be like, 35 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 2: we don't feel it, you know what I mean? And 36 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: I always say, just because somebody was five hundred pounds 37 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 2: and they lost two hundred, they're still three hundred, So 38 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: they're still kind of fact, you know, they're still fact. 39 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 4: That's the real thing. Feelings is a real thing what 40 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 4: you see and what you engage in feeling. But the 41 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 4: data speaks to is there a trend in what are 42 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 4: we doing that's helping. 43 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 2: Is it getting better? 44 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 3: Is it getting better? 45 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 4: If if we know that we've invested more into summer programs, 46 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 4: after school programs, workforce development programs, then we should be 47 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 4: looking for additional funding to fund that more. So I 48 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 4: think it's a balance, right, But you have to be 49 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 4: aware of what the people are saying, what the people 50 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 4: are feeling. You know, being a mayor is a very 51 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 4: difficult and challenging but most rewarding job, especially when you 52 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 4: grew up in the city that helped raise you. So 53 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 4: I have family that have struggled and experienced some a 54 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 4: lot of these heartaches. So I'm just proud of the 55 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 4: progress that we're making. But we just get to start. 56 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 4: We got a long ways to go. 57 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: Why is it so fulfilling to be a man. 58 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 4: Man growing up in Gary in the nineties and the 59 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 4: negative stigma that you all probably already heard of. We're 60 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 4: transforming at We're changing that narrative, We're changing the way 61 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 4: people are thinking and feeling about the city by investing 62 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 4: in the people, but also raising the awareness what people 63 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 4: don't know about the city. Of course, you know, we've 64 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 4: about thirty five minutes from downtowns that's great, But folks 65 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 4: don't know we have an international airport that we share 66 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 4: in collection with Chicago. Myself and Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, 67 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 4: we talk often about how we can grow that international airport. 68 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 4: A lot of folks don't know Gary sits right on 69 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 4: Lake Michigan. We have five miles of beachfront property. The 70 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 4: individuals come. We had a quarter of a million people 71 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 4: just two weeks ago in Geary, Indiana at the Gary 72 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 4: Chicago Airshow at the Geary Airshow, So that was something 73 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 4: that we brought in. 74 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 3: More revenue. 75 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 4: More people are coming to see the positive things that's 76 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 4: taking place. I can go on and on. It's a 77 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 4: lot of these we'll probably get weave into the conversation. 78 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 4: But to grow up in the city that made you 79 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 4: to the person that you are. I was able and 80 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 4: blessed to have great mentors, able to go to college 81 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 4: when to Kentucky State University, shout out to the Thoroughbreds. 82 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 3: And to come home. 83 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 4: You know of a state senator for two terms for 84 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 4: eight years in Indiana representing Gary in Northwest Indiana. So 85 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 4: it's a blessing and it's truly blessed. I give God 86 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 4: the glory for that. 87 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 5: I never heard anything bad about Gary Indianda it's good, 88 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 5: you know, other than my guy Jackson coming from there. 89 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: I never heard anything other than that. 90 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 5: And I heard you say that, you know, we probably 91 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 5: know about some of the things that's been said. 92 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: That's the only thing. 93 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 3: I've heard that's a blessing. I'm glad that's never heard. 94 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: Right Well, Jackson's and Freddy Gibbs, Michael Jackson, Jackson, Freddy Ye. 95 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 4: I was with Freddy last night. Yeah, okay, he said, 96 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 4: what's up, Denise Williams. It's so many big dog. Glenn Robinson, 97 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. 98 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 5: Right. 99 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 4: So the list goes on in terms of the history 100 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 4: and the culture that Gary has. Gary was founded by 101 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 4: US Steel nineteen o six. So we are a steel city, 102 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 4: Steell Town. We've seen the ups and we've seen the downs, 103 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 4: just like a lot of russ Bell cities across America, 104 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 4: like Detroit, Flint, Yeah, Sagging, all these cities that live 105 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 4: and work around industry, and when the industry had a downturn, 106 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 4: it was an impact that rippled throughout the country. Right, 107 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 4: So I'm glad to hear that. It's not the negative 108 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 4: stuff that you hear, but you know, we got so 109 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 4: much to celebrate. Yes, Michael Jackson, the Jackson Five, Janet Jackson, 110 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 4: all of them are born and raised, and Gary Denise Williams. 111 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 4: But this weekend we're going to be celebrating all those folks, 112 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 4: celebrating all them. 113 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:14,239 Speaker 5: What is going on this weekend. 114 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 4: August twenty ninth is Michael's birthday. So we've reached out 115 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 4: to the family, just worked with them very closely, built 116 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 4: a very good relationship over the years with the brothers, 117 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 4: Marlon and Jackie be in town. Building a great relationship 118 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 4: with that next generation of the Jackson So shout out 119 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 4: to Siggie Jackson, which is Jackie's oldest son, Prince Michael's son, 120 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 4: who had been in supportive to figure out, how do 121 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 4: we change that narrative about Gary, let people know the 122 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 4: positive things that's happened. So for several years, a little 123 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 4: bit over a decade, there was no formal celebration or 124 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 4: acknowledgment that the world's most famous entertainment family was from 125 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 4: Gary and Michael Jackson from Geary. So I worked with 126 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 4: the governor at that time. We got the highway signage 127 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 4: set in place to let people know from a tourism perspective. 128 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 4: But now we're going to have a formal event to 129 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 4: let the world know you can come in. 130 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 3: We got Chris Tucker coming in. He's going to DJ. 131 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 4: Kid Capri is going to be there as well to 132 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 4: have a good time with us. Denise William's going to 133 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 4: host one day. So we got a lot of folks 134 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 4: local DJ's, DJ all Out, djk C's or DJ chies Beat. 135 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 4: So we're bringing the community together. But people from around 136 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 4: the world are reaching out from Australia London to say 137 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 4: they want to recognize and celebrate Michael at twenty three 138 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 4: hundred Jackson Street. You remember that song. You remember that song? 139 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 4: You got to google that. 140 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 5: Song to explain the nipp partnership. 141 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, so I mentioned about US Steels. US Steel is 142 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 4: one of the largest steel producers in the world at 143 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 4: the At one point they were the number one still 144 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 4: produce in the world. Over time, they slipped down a 145 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 4: low twenties. Nippon is from Japan, this Japanese company. When 146 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 4: I came into office in twenty twenty four, there was 147 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 4: a threat that US Steel would actually close plants. I 148 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 4: keep in mind when Gary's height, US still had a 149 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 4: thirty thousand employees right now, we got four thousand employees. 150 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 4: That's automation, that's technology that and that's the down turn 151 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 4: of the industry. But the steel production happens. So the cans, 152 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 4: the can goods that you have, the washing machines that 153 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 4: you use, all of that is from steel production, and 154 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 4: most of that have probably come from the US steel 155 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 4: from Gary Works. Shout out to Marko Watkins's here with me. 156 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 4: He's still working. That's right behind me. So the Pond 157 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 4: still knowing that US security. 158 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 3: Security outside. 159 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 4: No, but the Pond still made an offer to purchase 160 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 4: US Steal, which was very controversial in the beginning. When 161 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 4: I came in, I was skeptical, just like many people, 162 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 4: to have a foreign entity seek to buy a US 163 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 4: company like US stell of that magnitude. So there was 164 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 4: a lot of concerns and issues. So I did the 165 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 4: due diligence. I met with US Steel, I met with 166 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 4: Nippon Steele to learn what type of investments. 167 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 3: They want to make. When you work, when you live 168 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 3: in cities like. 169 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 4: Gary that have pollution, you know, from a legacy perspective 170 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 4: in the still making process, the community is always going 171 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 4: to be concerned of the impact to the environment. So 172 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 4: that was a concern of mine, ensuring that jobs were 173 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,239 Speaker 4: staying in place. Those three thousand workers, many of them, 174 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 4: well most of them, some of them live in the 175 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 4: city of Gary, and that's something that we're going to 176 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 4: address as well, make sure that the employment abilities is there. 177 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: So this deal was closed. We worked with. 178 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 4: Congressmen Benny Thompson, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Congressman Jim Clodburn. 179 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 4: Was extremely helpful both in Biden and Trump administration for 180 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 4: us to have this conversation to say, this deal has 181 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 4: to go through fourteen billion dollar investment that Nippon has purchased, 182 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 4: well not a purchase, they partner with US Steel. Three 183 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 4: billion is going to go directly in the city of 184 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 4: Geary works. 185 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 2: Plan seventy thousand jobs. 186 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 4: I think I saw well nationwide nationwide, but there's going 187 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 4: to be at a minimum of one thousand new jobs 188 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 4: in the city of gear That's dope, all right. So 189 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 4: we're working within upon right now as we speak. They 190 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 4: get ready to reline the blast furnace blast Furn's number fourteen, 191 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 4: which is the largest steel producing blast furnace in US 192 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 4: Steel's portfolio. So when you think about re lining the 193 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 4: blast furnace and increasing steel productions more jobs, is protecting 194 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 4: national security and everything like that. So it's a good 195 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 4: deal from an environmental standpoint. The Japanese are bringing their 196 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 4: technology to make the still making process a cleaner process 197 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 4: for the community, so that's something that's extremely important. So 198 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 4: those investments are going to soon trickle down into the 199 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 4: specific community, so we can invest in our infrastructure, paving streets, 200 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 4: street lights, stop you know, stop lights, all those type 201 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 4: of things that need to be fixed right now that 202 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 4: historically Geary has had issues doing because we didn't have 203 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 4: the revenue. But now we're working with our corporate partners 204 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 4: to make that happen. 205 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:12,199 Speaker 2: I'm much credited to Trump get for that because I 206 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 2: saw when he announced back and made that you know 207 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 2: that US still was going to remain American owned, and 208 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 2: he talked about the partnership. So how much credited to 209 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 2: Get for that. 210 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 4: I mean any president has to say so, so he 211 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 4: definitely has the credit in terms of approving the deal. 212 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 4: So I'm grateful for that. But now it's trying to 213 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 4: make sure the deal happens. All of that investment that 214 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 4: three billion has to be invested by twenty twenty eight, 215 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 4: So that's a very small window to spend and invest 216 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 4: three billion dollars. So those tax dollars of that investment 217 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 4: is going to be reinvested back into the city. And 218 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 4: we're working right now with US Steal in the Pond 219 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 4: to figure out what's the best method to deploy those 220 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:51,199 Speaker 4: dollars into the streets. 221 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 2: I'm going to ask that like where did that money go, 222 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 2: because you know, people hear these numbers and they're like 223 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 2: three billion dollars into our town, into our city, right. 224 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 4: That three billion goes into the infrastructure, into the plant. 225 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:06,119 Speaker 4: The way that is assessed though that infrastructure enhancement is assessed, 226 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 4: is going to relate to some tax dollars locally, and 227 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 4: that's where we're going to work directly with UPON and 228 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 4: US still to figure out what's the best formula that 229 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 4: we can divest directly into paving the streets, the street lights, 230 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 4: traffic lights, public safety, right making sure that we could 231 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 4: pay our police and fire EMS workers the adequate ways, 232 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 4: because right now our police and fire is getting siphoned 233 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 4: off from other communities. They're the best trained, but because 234 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 4: we can't pay them that wage, that's changing right now. 235 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 4: So a lot of folks are applying to become firefighters, 236 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 4: shot out three five nine Local three five nine Area 237 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 4: Firefighters and GFD the local police union. But it's a 238 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 4: lot of good stuff happening, man, in terms of just 239 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 4: what the potential and the direction that we're going into. 240 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 2: What other plans do you have to revitalize the city, 241 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 2: you know, following the success of the deal with it. 242 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 4: When we first came in, we had to stabilized finances. 243 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 4: That was extremely important. So right now, for the first time, 244 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 4: I'm like close to a decade, we have a surplus, 245 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 4: so making wise decisions. When I came in, I spent 246 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 4: you know, the eight years that was in in Indiana 247 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 4: Senate speaking to my staff to say, hey, we have 248 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 4: to reserve at least ten percent of your budget every 249 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 4: year before we make significant purchases or in investments. Investing 250 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 4: in people is going to be number one. So we've 251 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 4: tripled the amount of investments into our infrastructure, paving streets 252 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 4: just like you say, a lot of people say you 253 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 4: ain't paying my street right because it hasn't happened, But 254 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 4: we're paving major third afaares. When I came into office, 255 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 4: significant amount of street lights. 256 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 3: We're out right. 257 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 4: The city owned a little bit over two thousand street lights. 258 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 4: I let's say nine hundred were almost either malfunction or broken. 259 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 4: By the end of this year, every single street light 260 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 4: is going to be energy efficient led. So that investment 261 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 4: is happening right now. It's going to make it safer, 262 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 4: it's going to be making it more enjoyable. But we 263 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 4: have a new deal with the hard Rocket scene. You know, 264 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 4: harn Rock just was built in around twenty twenty one. 265 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 4: So when I would stay Cenator, I passed center built 266 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 4: four thirty four, which allows us to enter into a 267 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 4: public private partnership to build a new convention center. Eighty 268 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,959 Speaker 4: ninety four is probably the nation's busiest highway and that's 269 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 4: what take you from Chicago to Detroit. Gary Smack Dad 270 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 4: right in the middle of that. Nearly three hundred thousand 271 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 4: cars a day. So Harrock. Before Harrock, we had another 272 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 4: casino that was on a lake front. I helped pass 273 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 4: the law to move gaining from waterfront to land base 274 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 4: in twenty nineteen. Now that they've broke ground and built 275 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 4: the harr Rock, we were the lowest revenue generator in 276 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 4: the state. 277 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 3: Now we're number one. Wow. 278 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 4: Right, So now that investment. We're going to build one 279 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 4: one hundred and forty million dollar convention center right there 280 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 4: on eighty ninety four in conjunction with har Rock. Harrock 281 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 4: is going to build a new hotel. We have a 282 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 4: private developer that's getting ready to build two new hotels 283 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 4: and new restaurants right at the gateway of Birth Street 284 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 4: in Gary, Indiana. 285 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 2: I love that is That's dope. How do you plan 286 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 2: to ensure that Gary doesn't see another decline similar to 287 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 2: what happened after the first collapse of. 288 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, we got to look at diversifying just 289 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 4: our whole economic base. Transportation logistics is something that I'm 290 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 4: very passionate about right now. And I'm not talking about 291 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 4: putting truck stops and things like that. We're talking about 292 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 4: international flights again. With the Geary Chicago Airport we have. 293 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 4: If you pull up a map of Gary, Indiana or 294 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 4: state of Indiana, they say Indiana is the crossroads to America. 295 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 3: I'm not sure you've ever heard that slogan. Most transit 296 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 3: or highways and rail traffic go through Indiana. 297 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 4: And when you look at a map, much of that 298 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 4: intersect between Chicago and Gary. So three class one rail lines. 299 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 4: Most commerce is moving east and west is going to 300 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 4: go through the city, So how do we maximize and 301 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 4: build off of that from warehousing distribution fed X. Working 302 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 4: with fed X and a private developer, they're getting ready 303 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 4: to break around now on the three hundred thousand. 304 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 3: Square foot facility. 305 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 4: That facility is going to hire six hundred new employees. 306 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 4: So within a year and a half have been in office, 307 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 4: we have close to two thousand jobs that has been 308 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 4: confirmed over the next four to five years or two 309 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 4: to five years as we just got started. 310 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 2: Question is it because of the nip on No? Okay, okay, no, 311 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm just wonder if other people want to 312 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 2: be there now, because. 313 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 4: It's a buzz, it's a vibe and energy right now 314 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 4: because of the investments that we're doing from a very 315 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 4: grassroot level, from individuals as investing in their own homes 316 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 4: to people investing in properties and flipping properties. Now for 317 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 4: the first time in fifty years, and this is based 318 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 4: off of study that Indiana University Northwest has done. Gary's 319 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 4: population has grown for the first time in fifty years. 320 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 2: Wow. 321 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 4: Right, So although it's just a few hundred people, that's 322 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 4: still the significant trend that we're tracking. So now that 323 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 4: we know, okay, somewhere on to something here, making it cleanup, 324 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 4: making it safer, making it more energy efficient, making it 325 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 4: more resilient, because I believe in the next ten years 326 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 4: more folks are going to be moving to the Midwest. 327 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 4: You know, you look at climate change that's happening. You 328 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 4: look at all of the you know, tornadoes and hurricanes 329 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 4: and wildfires. Gary sitting on Lake Michigan, which is a 330 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 4: part of the Great Lakes. That's the world's largest fresh 331 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 4: body of water. So you're gonna need water to survive 332 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 4: and have life. 333 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 5: You're accomplished so much with it only being a year 334 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 5: and a half you being in office. How long did 335 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 5: you have this vision of changing Gary before you became 336 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 5: the mayor. 337 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 4: Being mayor was never the goal, the gold objective. I 338 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 4: just wanted to serve it. I just thank God for 339 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 4: having a heart and desire. But it's a lot of 340 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 4: folks that play a part in kind of mentoring me 341 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 4: and helping me. Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher one of the nations, 342 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 4: the nation's first black mayor that was elected. I'm not 343 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 4: sure if you guys know him. That's something from a 344 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 4: history book. Lesson and we encourage folks to know that Gary, 345 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 4: Indiana at the first black mayor in the. 346 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 3: United States that was elected. Wow. 347 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 4: Now we go back and forth with Mayor Bibbs in 348 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 4: Cleveland in terms of Carl Stokes was also elected at 349 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 4: that's around that same timeframe who was sworn in first. 350 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 4: But Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher was very instrumental. Nineteen seventy two, 351 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 4: Gary hosted the Black Political National Black Political Convention. I 352 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 4: knew that a lot of folks don't realize that. 353 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: And I knew that because Angeler I always talked about it. 354 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, because you wants to do stuff like that, 355 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 2: something like that. 356 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 4: We have to do something like that again to make 357 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 4: sure what is our agenda? What is our policy? Collectively? 358 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 4: What do we want to go to Congress? We can 359 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 4: go to the White House as a collective body to 360 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 4: say here are our priorities. But going back to your 361 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 4: point in terms of being mayor, was never the golden objective. 362 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:43,880 Speaker 4: I was on a state Board of education. 363 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:44,679 Speaker 3: First. 364 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 4: Then that's someone on the state board educational. Look, if 365 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 4: you want to know what's going on, follow the money. 366 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 4: When I started following the money, I started realizing, wait, 367 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 4: a minute. We're not getting our fair share of resources 368 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 4: on the educational system because it was going into private 369 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 4: interests groups. If you want to make change, at that time, 370 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 4: my mind says, you got to change policy, you got 371 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 4: to change laws. So that's when I got more engaged 372 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 4: on a political aspect and ran for Indiana State Senate. 373 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 4: We won, So thank all of the Senate District three folks. 374 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 4: And here we are today. 375 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 2: What would you say to the Garer residents who got 376 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 2: concerns and they're pushing back against the Environment Protection Agency? 377 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 3: I mean, that's rightfully. 378 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 4: So we have a phenomenal advocacy group by the name 379 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 4: of GUARD that has helped me. They sit on an 380 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 4: advisory panel that I have. When we talk about the environment. 381 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 4: When you take away certain standards and you will allow 382 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 4: corporations to emit certain toxins into the air, somebody's gonna 383 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 4: have to pay that bill from a health perspective. So 384 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 4: I stand with them in their regards. So how do 385 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 4: we make and that's what I'm advocating for in this 386 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 4: process with the pond, Will you make the investments to 387 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 4: make this a cleaner process. We know we need that 388 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 4: industry to stay there. But now that over the last 389 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 4: hundred years things have changed, there's a cleaner way to 390 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 4: make Still, do you. 391 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 5: Fear at all what's happening in DC? Do you feel 392 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 5: at all what's happening in DC will happen in Gary 393 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 5: with everything that Trump is doing. 394 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 4: No, I'm always watching what's happening around the country. Right now, 395 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 4: I'm so locked in and focused on where we are 396 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 4: in the progress that we're making. I have a great 397 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 4: working relationship with our governor, being in the center, that 398 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 4: helped me kind of understand how to navigate downstate and 399 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 4: work with the Republican Party across party lines. So right now, 400 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 4: I think Gary is in a very good position. However, 401 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 4: I still know things can change any given moment. Right 402 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 4: I'm not naives to think that it can't. So I'm 403 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 4: trying to make sure that we invest in the right things, 404 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 4: we use our resources. In our mission statement, I saying 405 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 4: we need to be one of the most resilient cities. 406 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 4: To your point, how do we not repeat things that 407 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 4: we know that has happened in the past, And That's 408 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 4: where I'm trying to protect us from going down the 409 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 4: same cycle. 410 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 2: This is my last question. You're not the first person 411 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 2: I've heard say that there's an attack on black mans. 412 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 3: Right. 413 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 2: Mayor Adams came up here maybe a year ago and 414 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 2: said that, or I said it was coming. 415 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 6: The real focus should be on our national government. That's saying, 416 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 6: why you're doing this to New York while you check 417 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 6: out what they're doing. They're doing it to New York, 418 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 6: They're doing it to Chicago, they're doing it to Los Angeles, 419 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 6: they're doing it to Houston. What is the same in 420 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 6: all those cities? All black mens, all black mens, and 421 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 6: so with we're saying same thing that I'm going through here. 422 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 6: My brother Johnson is going through, my sis Sebastian is 423 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 6: going through, my brother Turner is going through. So our 424 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 6: folks are what they wanted to happen. Governor Appen wanted 425 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 6: to happen. We're gonna turn these of cities against their mayors. 426 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 6: We're gonna create this environment where they're all. 427 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 3: Going to go. It's their myth. Why. Well, I don't 428 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 3: know if I say there was an actual attack on 429 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 3: black marriage. 430 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 2: I think it's obvious what's going on. 431 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's clear what's taking place. 432 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 4: I don't know the why, right, And I don't try 433 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:16,959 Speaker 4: to get into the national politics that deep to understand 434 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 4: the why, because I just want to stay ready, right, 435 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 4: shout up. 436 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,199 Speaker 3: Dame Dash told me to tell you what's up to. 437 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 4: So one of the good sayings that Dan would always 438 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 4: take tell me, if you know the fight is coming, 439 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 4: brace your face, right. But you also got to be 440 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 4: ready for war as well at the same time, And 441 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 4: I'm saying that in a peaceful term. I'm not saying 442 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 4: prepare for war specifically, but being prepared knowing that what 443 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 4: type of fight was going to come in hand. Right now, 444 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 4: we are in a very good stable position to make 445 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 4: the enhancements and investments in the city, and we're going 446 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 4: to continue to do that with the investments that we're 447 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 4: talking about with the Pond, still with the Convention Center, 448 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 4: with so many other things that we're working on. 449 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 5: Absolutely, my last question, what should be the messaging of 450 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,880 Speaker 5: the Democratic Party moving forward to combat trap to combat 451 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 5: Trump and Maga. I just called that man a tramp. 452 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 5: It might, but I don't want to be tweeting about 453 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 5: me like he tweets about. It's a combat Trump and Mega. 454 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 4: You know, we need to have a sit down conversation 455 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 4: within the party because I think cities like Gary need 456 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 4: to be heard communities that voices have not been heard 457 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 4: even within our own party. That we got to make 458 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 4: sure our issues are at the table, and that just 459 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 4: rises up to the forefront to make sure it's going 460 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,719 Speaker 4: to be addressed. We can't assume that people are going 461 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 4: to vote for us because we are one political affiliation. 462 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,239 Speaker 4: Uh So, I'm not prepared to answer that question right 463 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 4: now because I think there's still a lot of work 464 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 4: to do to strengthen the party in an organization. But 465 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 4: I'm extremely focused as mayor on what do I do 466 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 4: for the seventy thousand plus people in the city of 467 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 4: Gear and how do we improve the quality of life 468 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 4: of them every single day? And that's extremely important. 469 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 2: Respect miss man Eddie Milton, thank you for coming. 470 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 3: Brother. I appreciate what opportunity man, God bless. 471 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,400 Speaker 2: And I can't wait to hear about how it goes 472 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 2: down this weekend. 473 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 3: You should stop through there? Yeah? 474 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 2: Can we stop through? 475 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 3: Why tell you what? 476 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:13,239 Speaker 4: Man? 477 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 2: We can? Yeah, I didn't even know it was thirty 478 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: minutes with Chicago. Yeah, I didn't know that. 479 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 3: Yeah, I didn't know that. 480 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 4: We had a Look, we had a train that will 481 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 4: get you from Gary to downtown Chicago. 482 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 3: In thirty minutes. Wow, flat period. 483 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, so you next time you're in the area, stopped through, Well, 484 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 4: well let's give you a tour, and let me tell 485 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 4: you say this real quick about it. In my mind, absolutely, 486 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 4: I want to talk about one of our friends, brother 487 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 4: Joe Buttons, the situation Joe Butden, I'm sorry. I want 488 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 4: to make sure because the brother invited me on the show. 489 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 4: It was a situation that occurred. He tried to call 490 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 4: out Gary. I wasn't even gonna go here, let's go there. 491 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 2: You looked that up to continue. 492 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 4: And I'm saying that in the in the in the 493 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 4: sense of, let's have that kind of conversation. You invited 494 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 4: me on the show. Let's have a conversation about the 495 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 4: city of Gary, just like you just He was like, look, 496 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 4: I don't know anything about it here, never heard anything. 497 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 4: He may have had an experience once. With the platform 498 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 4: that you guys have, you can't just recklessly say something 499 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 4: about a city that you don't know anything about, especially 500 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 4: a predominantly black city, right right. So I called him 501 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 4: Jarru gave me his number, drop me and job chopped 502 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 4: it up. 503 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 2: By the way, this is the most random conversation I 504 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 2: did not know that man. I didn't know. I didn't 505 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 2: know anything about him. 506 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 4: I couldn't miss the opportunity to address it, though, But 507 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 4: I say it and all love. But you know, let's talk. 508 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 4: I'm willing to come on. 509 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: The show, he said. Joe said, there's like three traffic 510 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,360 Speaker 2: lights in Gary. Gary is six blocks of wind and tumbleweeds. 511 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,399 Speaker 2: If I had to go to Gary, I'm not going 512 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 2: to Gary. Gary was so interesting. I got up and 513 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 2: looked out the window on the tall bus, like, are 514 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 2: we lost? 515 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 4: That probably was like fifteen to twenty years ago, But 516 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,719 Speaker 4: don't say in twenty twenty five, right, So put some 517 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 4: respect on the city. 518 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 2: If not, And you said, someone just send me a 519 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 2: video from this guy named Joe Budden talking about my 520 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 2: hometown like a dog. You don't know what you're talking about. 521 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 2: You have no idea what is going on in garytt 522 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 2: this moment. Don't you ever run your mouth about my city? 523 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 2: And you called in. 524 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 4: That's what I don't like about it, Okay, So John 525 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 4: put us on the text together say I need to talk. 526 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 3: Called him. 527 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 4: Then they asked, I'm the type of cat I'm calling 528 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 4: you two or three times. It is what it is 529 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 4: at that point. So the last time I called him, 530 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 4: he picked up the phone and puts me on the show. 531 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 3: He didn't know that. 532 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: Okay, got you. 533 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 4: Well, he quickly said, you want the Joe Button podcast. 534 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 4: Don't say anything incriminating. I just called to have a conversation. 535 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 4: But it's all of man, just invite me on the show. 536 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 4: Let's clear it up, the opportunity just kind of share 537 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 4: the positive things that's taken place. Man's some beautiful people 538 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 4: in the city of Gary. I just want to tell 539 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 4: that story in terms of our history, our culture, what 540 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 4: we've contributed to this country, to this world. Because we're 541 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 4: growing as a community. So I'm grateful. I thank God. 542 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 4: I thank you guys for giving us this platform to 543 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 4: talk about the positive things that's happening. 544 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 3: Because it's a greater Gary that's moving. 545 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 2: How does that hurts my last week? How does that 546 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 2: hurt when somebody says something like that about the city. 547 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 2: How does that hurt Gary? 548 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 4: Think about the conversation we were having about troops going 549 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 4: into a community. Right, So, as a mayor, I got 550 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 4: to deal with. 551 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 3: A crisis. 552 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 4: Then I got to deal with my own people with platforms, 553 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 4: be it if it's big or small. Running a city 554 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 4: that's on the rise in the mud right when we're 555 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 4: already trying to dig ourselves out of a hole where 556 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 4: people think they know somebody that's been helpful. Mike app 557 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 4: has been extremely helpful for putting Gary back on the map. 558 00:26:58,080 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 3: Mike has beencoming. 559 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 4: Mike has been investing in the city, buying properties and 560 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,199 Speaker 4: things of that nature. So we invite folks to chains. 561 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 4: All the folks men have been looking to come in. 562 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 4: But I said, before we open the floodgates, it's a 563 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 4: Gary first thing. So we're creating a program right now, 564 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,959 Speaker 4: thirty thousand dollars down payment assistance for police, for fire. 565 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 4: We're going to open that up to teachers to let 566 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 4: them know. We're going to give you the lot, the land, 567 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 4: We're going to connect you with our banking partner. 568 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 3: We're going to give. 569 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:31,439 Speaker 4: You directly the builders and the design and templates has 570 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 4: already made so you don't have to invest in designing 571 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 4: the home. And with that down payment assistance, now you 572 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 4: can be a home own. 573 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. So that's those are the things that I want 574 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 3: to talk about. 575 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 2: We're you know, people are gonna swear now that you 576 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:44,959 Speaker 2: said that told that story, They're gonna swear we had 577 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 2: you on because you and your buddy we don't even 578 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 2: have no issue. 579 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 3: An issue with Joe. 580 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 2: I'm just saying, but I want to say the reason 581 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 2: I wanted you on because I want more black mans on. 582 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 2: We had Mad Brandon, this guy on before. Because to me, 583 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 2: all of the blueprints for what this whole country should 584 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 2: be doing. You know the fact that y'all are getting 585 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 2: these resources and making these investments into the community, seeing 586 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 2: the crime rates reduced, You're seeing people have opportunities to 587 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 2: have jobs, You're making the right investments, like y'all are 588 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:14,919 Speaker 2: a blueprint that everybody should be following. 589 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 3: So that's brand and Scott Man. 590 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 4: I watch mayors around the country African American Mayor's Association. 591 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 4: I'm watching as a new mayor, what folks are doing, 592 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 4: you know, in Baltimore and in DC, in other cities 593 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 4: and even in Chicago. Brandon Johnson has a very tough job. 594 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 4: I'm right next door to him, So whatever happens in 595 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 4: Chicago is going to eventually trickle over into Gary. So 596 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 4: I want him to be successful no matter who. 597 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 3: The mayor is. 598 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 4: But he's the mayor right now, so I got to 599 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 4: support him. But I'm like a sponge. Right, I don't 600 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 4: know everything. As a leader, you can't assume you know everything, right. 601 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 4: So I'm looking to folks. 602 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 3: That have great ideas. Is an innovation around violence prevention 603 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 3: and things that I need a right. 604 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 2: It's Mayor Eddie Melton, don't be a stranger man. 605 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 3: I appreciate it. 606 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 2: Mayor Gary, Indiana. It's the Breakfast Club. 607 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: Hold up every day I wake click your ass up 608 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: the Breakfast Club. 609 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 2: You know I'm finished for y'all dumb